Our weather has changed a bit since yesterday.  We're still getting showers, but today it's snow showers.  Nothing much yet, but the thermometer is hovering around 30 degrees and the sky is completely overcast - perfect conditions for snowflakes.  There is a little wind, too, out of the north, and that makes it especially raw and uncomfortable to be outside.

I want to remind fans of the BelAires that tonight is the night the band will be at the Moose Lodge in St. Johnsbury doing a benefit for their drummer, Dennis Frechette and his wife, Sheila.  It would be great if you could drop by - admission is by donation - and help them out.  We never know when serious illness is going to strike, but friends helping in this way means a lot when it does.  We wish the Frechettes the best as they deal with unforeseen problems.

The Moose Lodge is on Route 2 east of St. Johnsbury, just past the Fairbanks plant. 

Most Cabot folks have seen the latest report of the Rural Development Committee that met for the second time recently.  If you haven't seen it, here it is:

At the Community Meeting last Thursday over 50 Cabot community members set three priorities for action to advance the community (see full descriptions below):

·        Build a Cabot Agricultural Network

·        Improve Community Communications

·        Develop a Cabot Community Arts Center

 

Now we need your help! Task force groups are being formed to help address these key priorities. A number of volunteers signed up Thursday but we hope more members of the Cabot community will volunteer to join one or more task force groups. Simply reply to this email and let us know the task force(s) that you would like to participate in and we will add you to the list. And spread the word by forwarding this email along to others in the community.

The next meeting in the Community Visit process has been scheduled for Tuesday, November 27 from 6:30 to 9:00pm at the Willey Building. VCRD will bring a new Visiting Team of state, federal, regional, non-profit, and philanthropic leaders to Cabot to help task force groups as they develop action steps and resource ideas to move these projects forward. Cabot has set an ambitious agenda; it can succeed in these goals if residents line up for action.

Hope to see you on November 27^th!

 

Jan Westervelt

Cabot Community Visit Chair

jrwcabot@yahoo.com

563-2489

 

Paul Costello

Executive Director

Vermont Council on Rural Development

223-5763

info@vtrural.org

 

Here's some background and more detail:

 

On October 25^th over 50 Cabot community members gathered in a community meeting to consider the ideas that were discussed through the Cabot Community Visit process and to set priorities for action. At the meeting, the Vermont Council on Rural Development (VCRD) presented a list of all the key directions that the community had put on the table at the public forums on September 25^h and school forums on September 21^st. Participants discussed what was most important and most needed and voted on the priorities that they thought the community should line up to accomplish. Then, a number of folks signed up to serve on Task Forces to move these issues forward over the course of the next year. The top 3 priorities that participants chose are listed below.

Cabot Community Visit Priorities

Determined by Cabot community members at the VCRD Community Meeting, October 25^th 2012.

Build a Cabot Agricultural Network

Cabot has deep agricultural traditions and assets, but the farm, food, and value-added producers in town do not get together in any systematic way for mutual benefit. Cabot could build an agricultural and food system network that could eventually help aggregate, market, and distribute products, act as a producers circle, address infrastructure opportunities, connect Cabot farmers and producers to the Center for an Agricultural Economy in Hardwick, encourage or incubate new small farm operations and value-added businesses, and work together in other ways to support a strong agricultural future in the town.

Improve Community Communications

Some residents complain about communications gaps and the lack of knowledge about all the good things going on in the community. A Cabot Communications Task Force could advance community communications by linking all local activities into a common calendar with an on-line portal like Front Porch Forum’s calendar widget inserted into the websites of all municipal and community groups. This team could also put all the gathered information into a Cabot bulletin board in the village and share it in the Chronicle.

Develop a Cabot Community Arts Center

Cabot residents celebrate the diversity of arts, crafts and local products in the community. Many believe that a Task Force of Cabot residents could come together and identify a space in town to be redeveloped as an arts center. A Cabot Arts Center could include an outlet and showplace for local art and products, studio space, and space for youth to gather and for local music, movies, or theatrical performances to occur.

* * * * 

Anyone who has an interest in one of the above or wishes to find out more about the  plans outlined above should get in touch with either Jan Westervelt or Paul Costello.  Even if you are not a resident of Cabot but feel you have information, interest or expertise in one or more of these three priorities, your input will be welcome.

* * * * *

Many of us were pleased when Harry's Hardware in Cabot was sold to the Spooners and it seemed there would be a business there again soon.  Sadly, that deal fell through, but we're told that owners Walt and Julie Ackermann may have found another buyer who hopes to reopen the hardware store.  We sure hope this works out for everyone involved - the town has really missed the hardware store.

We are happy, however, that Walt and Julie have moved back to our neighborhood, to their former home on Cabot Plains Road, just up from Brickett's Crossing Road.  Julie has helped us out at the Cabot Historical Society recently - she didn't have time when they were running the store and the lunch room, but she's very interested in what we're doing at the HistSoc and has been a willing volunteer this summer, which we appreciate immensely.  Walt has had knee operations, and they had to move from their apartment over the store, so life has been busy for them.

We're still hoping to hear soon from some of our members who were in the path of Sandy.   We have members in NYC, on Long Island and several other states impacted by the storm, and we are anxious to know if they are safe.  With power and phone lines down, and having way more important things to deal with, we understand that contact us is not high on their priority lists, but we're still hoping to hear from them or any of their friends or relatives who can let us know how they are.  Send a message as a comment here, or send directly to me at: janebrown@joespondvermont.com